Weapon
by RedWriting
Summary: Naruto, told of what he was at a younger age by the Hokage. He was Konoha's only Jinchuuriki, Konoha's only weapon. Naruto only had one intention for his shinobi career. Earn respect and gain power. A much more realistic Narutoverse. SelfReliantSmart!Naru


Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, and I am writing this for no profit. I am doing this for my and my readers' enjoyment.

**MUST READ A/N**: There are several things I would like for anyone that wants to read my fan fiction to know. This will be a changed Narutoverse, one with no 'gags' that they have in the anime, and will have a much darker tendency. I don't enjoy character bashing, and I like to treat them all with the same level of respect. If you like this first chapter, or even consider it interesting, please read the full A/N at the bottom of this chapter, which will describe some of the more interesting changes. The numbers throughout the story will link to the bottom, sort of like footnotes. Read those either during or after the chapter has been read, just to clarify a few of my opinions on what I am doing.

Naruto: Legacy isn't abandoned. I just made this fic because a ff author I respect told me I shouldn't crowd too many ideas into one. So, I've decided to keep two going. Of course the fact that revision over Legacy is rather slow going.

Naruto is akin to Itachi in the aspect of his brains. Don't claim over powering, please read the A/N at the bottom.

RedWriting presents to you, Weapon.

ASDADASDASDASDASDASD

"Hokage-sama will see you now, Naruto-kun." Ami, the Sandaime's assistant notified. She stared at the young blonde, who was kicking his legs while on the edge of his seat, evidently bored. Scratching away at the schedule before her for the allotted time, she heard the scratching of his sandals against the floor as he stood up.

"Hai." The blonde responded, before meandering his way towards the large wooden door. It was quite odd for the Hokage to call him, as he had only met the elderly man a few times. He was nice enough, though there was no reason for him to call an eight year old in, who was still fresh in the academy.

Reaching forward, Naruto quickly grasped the doorknob, before twisting and pushing the door inwards. Greeting his eyes was the elderly man, sitting at his large wooden desk, quickly scribbling away at paperwork. Looking up at the noise, he gave a small smile before beckoning Naruto in.

"Naruto-kun! Why don't you have a seat?" He said, as Naruto quickly moved forward, moving to sit down. Pushing himself flush against the plush seating, Naruto stared at the aged Hokage, who seemed to be looking troubled by the second.

"So, how do you like the academy?" Sarutobi questioned, attempting to make small talk. The blonde was shrewd, Sarutobi knew that from the instructors at the academy. Naruto would pick up on the smallest of details, faster than even Uchiha Sasuke. His mind was sharper than most, showing absolutely during combat simulations and problem solving. He had tabs kept on the legacy of the Yondaime, to make sure he knew everything he could about the blonde.

"It has been okay, Hokage-sama. Learning of the past Hokage and their deeds, and of the various wars is quite nice. I do not like how the early graduation was abolished though, surely I should have been graduated a lot earlier..." Naruto ended off, as the aged man stared at him, brain whirring. The boy was unlike either his father or his mother. His mother had been an untamed beast, unwilling to submit to anyone's threats or orders. His father had been shy at that age, quite brilliant, but unwilling to voice his own opinion.

"I see, well you'll learn later why it was abolished, Naruto-kun. How has training been coming along?" Hiruzen questioned as he fiddled with his pipe. The first instructors that had hated the boy for what was within him had tried halting his progress, tried pushing him behind his classmates, but the blonde was unwilling to give in. He had spied on older classes, or would look towards the older, sympathetic ninja.

"Quite fine, actually. I have been starting to learn on how to keep a leaf stuck to my forehead, using only chakra. It's slow going, as I seem to have an above average amount. Physical training has also been slow going, as I haven't gotten into the prime of puberty." He responded, as the Hokage finally got his pipe lit, blowing rings off to the side. Naruto's statement of above average chakra almost caused Sarutobi to pale. Naruto's chakra easily multiplied any other Genin's by a large margin, if not a hundred.

"It's good to see that you are indeed progressing." Sarutobi said, amidst his smoking. "Anything troubling show up from the civilians?" Sarutobi knew of the animosity within the civilians. They wouldn't dare lay a finger on the boy, a lot of the older ninja looked out on his behalf. However, they were able to make his life incredibly annoying, by boycotting him their goods.

The boy shook his head. "Nope. Teuchi-san has opened his menu a bit, so I do have a much healthier diet nowadays. Haven't had any problems with anyone though." The aged man nodded at this, proud that the boy wasn't being handled too badly. He himself provided the boy his allowance, unlike the other orphans who got theirs straight from the orphanages. Naruto had enough to live easily off of, his apartment was prepaid, and he had more than enough to pay for his food and general shinobi utensils monthly.

After viewing their prejudiced behavior, Sarutobi had sent one of his most trusted ANBU, Tenzou, to obtain a uniform for the boy, one actually decent enough to be called shinobi apparel.(1) The boy was now clad in all black, a much better than the bright orange the blonde himself had detested. Spirals adorned the uniform, signifying his claim to the Uzumaki clan. Sarutobi sighed at this, knowing the real reason he had called upon the boy.

"Naruto, I actually brought you here for another reason, to talk to you about your parents and an-" Sarutobi was cut off. He had dropped the honorific purposely, now was no time to be less than serious. The boy was smart and calculating, but he was not cold and emotionless to the world, no matter how much he wanted to be.

"I know who my mother was." Naruto simply stated, nearly shocking the older man if he hadn't of known about the boys' genius. "Uzumaki Kushina, you did a good job of removing her from the standard shinobi records, as well as the academy, but her place on the Memorial Stone notified me. She was the only Uzumaki listed, death on my birthday, evidently my mother." Sarutobi sighed again at the tidbit of knowledge the blonde had departed, he had been caught. He had purposely removed all knowledge of the boys mother, but was unwilling to go all the way and remove it from Konoha's only respite for its fallen forces.

"Hai, Naruto. I did it for the greater good, but recently I have been told, and forced to realize several things which I never wanted to. However, we will start from the beginning, so hopefully you may completely understand where I am coming from." Sarutobi began, receiving a silent nod from the blonde before him.

"You're father was one of Konoha's greatest shinobi, one of our greatest heroes. He almost single handedly won Konoha the third Great Shinobi War. He defeated the Kyuubi, sacrificing himself for the village. He was -" Sarutobi was cut off again, as Naruto stared at him, eyes a bit wider than normal, showing his form of surprise.

"The Yondaime!" Naruto nearly shouted, awe in his voice. The Yondaime was perhaps one of the most congratulated shinobi in all of ninja history, his renown spreading far and wide, even to countries he had never set foot on. Sarutobi nodded at this, before continuing on.

"Yes, Namikaze Minato. He however, was also renowned for one more thing, being incredible at the arts of Fuuinjutsu. I am telling you this not because I want to, but because it will help Konoha in the future, if what your father and I wish of you, is honored. Through the use of his abilities, he was able to garner a seal, one that would effectively seal the Kyuubi no Youko inside of you." Sarutobi watching as the realization finally hit Naruto.

"Sealed... inside of me?" Naruto said, gripping his jacket, clenching it in between his fingers. "How is that possible?" 'There was no logical way, a beast of such magnitude and power could be sealed within a human.' Naruto thought out, unwilling to believe. Tapping the pipe a few times, Sarutobi quickly took another drag, easily calming his nerves.

"In the shinobi world, there are nine tailed beasts, the Shodaime having divided them up between the five great villages after their formation. Keeping the most powerful of all, the Kyuubi, for Konoha, he split them all up, using his mighty powers to control them. After placing them in containment, each of the Kage realized that the Bijuu were of no use, if they couldn't be controlled." Sarutobi said, hoping Naruto would soon understand what he meant.

"Using the powerful methods of Fuuinjutsu, they managed to contain the enormous constructs of chakra and power, placing them inside humans. They then realized that the powers of the human were magnified, attaining qualities the specific demon itself had. However, the most powerful of all, the Kyuubi, cannot simply be sealed into a normal human being. It must be sealed into a newborn baby, whose chakra coils have not yet formed, due to the large amount of stress it immediately places upon them. It's complete powers are undocumented." The aged Hokage continued, watching as Naruto finally began to speak.

"So, we are weapons? The Bijuu are sealed inside of us so we may combat others just like us, as well as having powers no other shinobi can amount to?" Naruto questioned, getting closer to the real reason behind why the Sandaime had called upon him.

"In a sense, though there are ways to counter Jinchuuriki, other containers akin to you. There are sealing methods, that should you begin to show too much chakra, will put you in a state of fluxing energy, forcing you to be unable to mold chakra. The Shodaime, with his Mokuton abilities was able to counter Bijuu, and there are likely other undiscovered tactics to stop Jinchuuriki." He explained, as the blonde seemed to take in all the information, his facial features beginning to worry the aged Kage.

"Jinchuuriki?" Naruto asked, the word unfamiliar. It was obviously not used in common speech, and Naruto didn't think the Hokage would use a derogatory statement towards him.

"It means Power of a Human Sacrifice. It is rarely used, as Jinchuuriki are rather discriminated against. This was the reason you were discriminated Naruto, why you were hated. Your father chose his own son, to be the jailor of the Kyuubi, to effectively continue on his legacy of saving the village. You shouldn't hate him for what he did." He pleaded, hoping that Naruto would see reason. He only hoped that Naruto wouldn't dislike him for revealing the information.

"I don't hate him. My father was obviously putting the lives of many over the lives of one, and he was in a position that made him do such a thing. I'm guessing he -" Naruto was cut off, as the Hokage quickly broke in, not allowing Naruto to finish his sentence.

"He wanted you to be seen as a hero, Naruto! I tried, and I really did, to make the civilians see you as such. The ninja community already respects you, most of them knowing what you harbor. The civilians just don't understand, that the Kyuubi has next to effect on you, to say so would be to mock the Yondaime's Fuuinjutsu abilities!" Sarutobi exclaimed, harshly coughing after speaking with so much force, smoke billowing from his mouth.

"I have to think about this..." Naruto said aloud, as the Hokage nodded. "Is that all you wished to talk to me about?" Naruto's eyes were clouded in thought, but the Sandaime trudged on, knowing he had to continue what he called the boy here for.

"There is one more important matter to discuss, Naruto. After seeing your abilities, as well as knowing of your... tenant, there have been ninja pushing me to further your training, putting you under one of my colleagues."(2) Naruto's thoughts whirred, an apprenticeship? "There is a way to avoid such unsavory circumstances though, if you continue to show improvement in the academy. Being put under my colleague will not be what your father wanted, Naruto. It will be completely against your wishes, he wanted you to be free, serving Konoha of your own will. Training under him will most likely brainwash you." Naruto's eyes widened at this. Go with an apprenticeship, but be brainwashed, unable to think of yourself? He'd never do that, his thoughts were his own sanctuary, a place where he could make his own decisions!

"I will not be brainwashed. Why was there such a predicament for you in the first place?" Naruto answered, as well as questioned.

"After seeing your staggering results at the academy, they pushed me into making a decision. Should you halt your impressive progress, they will veto me and put you under his care. They do not want Konoha's 'weapon' being tarnished by being so slow moving, they want to pack as much power into you, while keeping you loyal to the Hokage and their viewpoints. I want to keep you free, so you can learn about the shinobi world, and finally come upon your own path to take, that will hopefully have Konoha in it." He explained, as Naruto thought further about it.

'So there's another party interested in me, just because of my abilities and Bijuu? I will not be used, even by them. I will honour father, his wishes, and his legacy. I will show them that Uzumaki Naruto is not someone that can be controlled.' "I will honor my father, Hokage-sama. I will not seek an apprenticeship, and I will continue my increase in power at the academy, to prevent any problems arising." Naruto answered, leaving the Hokage with a smile on his face. He had been called peace-loving, but he simply wished for the ninja of Konoha to have their own way, rather then forced into something that they would eventually rebel against.

"Thank you, Naruto-kun! You have helped me immensely, I would not have known what to do should you have chosen the apprenticeship. I warn you now, Naruto, be wary of ninja not under my direct command, should they come to you with an offer. We won't be communicating a lot from now on, surely some would complain about favoritism, no?" He smiled, he had avoided anything that could have sparked something negative within Naruto, and he hoped that when the blonde continued his thoughts, they would go further in aiding Konoha and the Kage's wishes.

Thoughts still crisscrossing through his brain, Naruto quickly made his way to the door, watching as the door's edges had a slight glow to them, fading as he walked out. It seemed the Hokage had made sure the conversation was extremely secure, unwilling to let any of it leak out. Waving a goodbye to the secretary, Naruto walked down the stairs, his calm expression a complete contrast to the thoughts that were in his head.

The Yondaime was his father, he was seemingly a container for the Kyuubi, the most powerful of the nine Bijuu, and had more than just the Hokage's eyes scouting for him as a ninja. He had abilities that even he knew not of, as the Hokage had merely stated they were not documented. Naruto had already thought of one, that surely was not normal for even shinobi. He had a healing and regeneration ability far superior to any of his classmates, and even from what he had seen of shinobi entering the hospital. Scrapes and scratches that would take hours to days for his classmates, healed within minutes, if not seconds. His chakra reserves were already extraordinary, hinting at another one of the undocumented powers.

Naruto walked towards his direction, wishing to be at the level to hop across rooftops, but knew that it wouldn't be smart if he tried it untested. His thoughts wandered towards his progress at the academy, true he was far beyond his classmates at chakra reserves, and probably had the highest amount of intelligence in the class, and the never ending stamina to tire them out. Written tests were a simple affair, as he made simple work of them. They hadn't yet gone into inter-class competitions, but Naruto knew he was the farthest in each of their academy Katas. Due to a non-existent family or clan, Naruto didn't have the benefit of slacking off or spending quality time with others, his days were littered with reading, training, the academy, and sleeping.

Now that he was actually under pressure, due to him respecting both of the current and previous Hokage's wishes, he would have to push himself even harder. Deciding he could gather his thoughts in the external sanctuary he called a 'library', he moved towards his destination. Feeling for his wallet, which held his card, just to make sure he wouldn't have to walk back to his apartment. Deciding he would take the more popular path, which would be much quicker, though much more annoying.

True to his word, Naruto had never been harmed by the civilians, physically at least. Emotionally they had damaged him, forcing himself to rely on only himself, ever since the age of four when he had been dropped on his own.(3) He still accepted help, who wouldn't, but he didn't look to others for encouragement or inspiration, he rather went to his thoughts, their melancholy providing him a sanctity. Another thing the blonde had never dared to attempt was shirk or relieve his problems by telling anyone else, he did not need help from anyone. His calm exterior just enforced that, showing that even at his age, he was completely independent, able to do things his own way.

Crossing onto the main path, Naruto immediately walked towards his goal, the large building that stood in the town center. It held no information regarding shinobi jutsu or other techniques, simply vast amounts of information for scholars, hunters, and the curious minds that plagued the shinobi and civilian world. Narrowing his eyes slightly at the looks sent his way, Naruto made sure to continue his gait at the same speed, just to show that the civilians had no effect on him. It was quite odd, the fact that he knew the reason for their hate was extremely oxymoronic. They considered him an extremely large threat, but in the process of that they insulted their most congratulated hero, the Yondaime. They also didn't seem to understand that he was the container, the one that should he be angered enough, could probably release the beast that they so feared, at the cost of his life most likely.

Dodging an eager man who seemed to be happy at attempting to bump into him, Naruto quickly rose up the stairs to the library. Feeling eyes on his back, Naruto continued on. It was obviously a civilian who was either irked by his presence, or trying to make him feel uncomfortable, neither of which he cared about. Pushing inwards on the door, Naruto relished as the cool air struck him, calming him even further. Walking past the electronic-chakra scanners, which beeped at his entrance, before going green, signifying passage.

"Oh! Naruto-san! What a pleasure to see you here!" The librarian exclaimed, as Naruto shifted his face into a much more pleasant expression. She was one of the few civilians, akin to those that worked at Ichiraku, who believed he was not a demon. Sliding over his card, Naruto greeted the women.

"Hello." He responded, watching as the card was run through the scanner, which also clicked green, before she smiled and passed it back to him.

"All set! Remember to make your monthly payment soon, it wouldn't be good if you had to resubmit your application!" She said, as Naruto quickly strode past the counter, nodding as he went. It surely would be annoying to obtain another library card, the one he currently owned had certainly caused enough trouble to obtain. They all required a monthly subscription, so late fee's wouldn't be a problem, nor would stolen articles.

Striding past the non-fiction section, Naruto quickly strode to the F's, intent on finding a book on Fuuinjutsu. Sealing wasn't completely considered a shinobi art, neither was it completely secretive. There were seals that were well-known, making it useless to actually hide the information. More secret seals would be definitely hidden, but simple beginners books and other such novelties were open to the public. Most civilians didn't have enough chakra to even attempt an exploding tag, or any seal in general, which made sure no new up and coming terrorists would arrive.

"F." Naruto intoned, as he finally reached the large row of books, with several desks in between the first and second halves. The library was never packed, only containing a few denizens at a time, enough to make sure that you wouldn't be completely lost in your own world. Walking towards the end, Naruto grasped 'Sealing: The Art and the Basics.' Setting it upon the desk, Naruto quickly cracked it to the table of contents, as he finally let his thoughts wander.

'Father... was the Yondaime?' His thoughts turned to turmoil, as he finally let them loose. He had kept himself composed, proper according to his usual outlook, but that had finally shifted aside to allow his thoughts to finally rule. 'How could I have not known!' Naruto berated himself, as he flash backed to viewing pictures of his father, standing before the Hokage tower. The facial features, hair color, eye color, they all matched. His father had been considered a genius, and Naruto had hoped that his mother had been as well.

He had little information on her, only knowing her name. No history books had mentioned a mistress or wife the Yondaime had kept, so either it had been kept a secret, or there was something else in play that had caused his conception. That thought was quickly countered, when Naruto thought of the Hokage's statement, who had said, 'He chose his son,' evidently meaning that Minato had known of him That showed that he willing to give him up for the greater good, hoping that his child would continue his legacy and make his own.

He had tried searching medical records for his birth, or anything related to himself, but they had all been labeled 'confidential', evidently for secrecy. His mother was truly a secret, something that the Hokage wished to keep from him, even after disclosing the information of his father and his tenant. The Hokage had assumed that Naruto wouldn't go disclosing that information, but he had assumed right. Naruto wasn't an idiot enough to go around sprouting the information, it would only lead to problems. Iwagakure would surely want his head, and it would just put more pressure on him to be just as his father was.

Flipping the page absentmindedly, so he wouldn't get kicked out for loitering, Naruto continued his thought process. 'So the Hokage wishes me to respect his and my fathers' wishes, a second player wishes to make me their brainwashed weapon, and my tenant already makes me the villages ultimate weapon.' That thought brought him upon the Kyuubi, if it was indeed sealed inside of him, why had he not encountered it, or felt any traces of its 'great and deadly' powers?

'How would one go about contacting the Kyuubi, if it can even speak?' Naruto thought, as he put his mind to the task. He knew nothing about the seal, meaning tinkering with anything was completely and utterly out of the question, as well as suicidal. The beast had been considered so powerful, it had brought most shinobi to their knees just by sensing its deadly youki. Apparently one of its powerful attacks had wiped clear a mountain after the Yondaime had teleported it away. How could such a deadly beast be concealed within himself? Sealing was truly a godsend if such was possible, and supposedly it was.

'Are there more powers the Kyuubi can offer?' Naruto's brain continued, as he wondered over it. The insane amount of chakra he had, intense regeneration, and intense stamina, if that was what he obtained, what did the other eight, who had much weaker Bijuu, have? What else could the Kyuubi offer that would further his shinobi career? Those thoughts drew him further, greed and curiosity pushing him into wondering more. Seconds after wards, Naruto saw all black as his head thumped against the book, being drawn into another layer of his brain, his subconscious.

Eyes snapping open, Naruto's vision was confronted with a clean hallway, with only one way of movement, forward. Turning sideways, Naruto noticed the blank concrete wall behind him, forcing him to move. Eyes tightening, Naruto's brain raced through scenarios. 'This is too complex of a Genjutsu to use on an academy student. I also wouldn't have passed out to come into this environment, unless this a multi-stage Genjutsu, which would still be a waste of chakra on a non-shinobi. Evidently this has something to do with my thought patterns, or someone has an intent of kidnapping and then either slaughtering or brainwashing me.' Naruto's thoughts raced through different scenarios, each proving more and more dangerous than the last.

Walking with as long strides he could manage, Naruto came upon a large entrance, with a formidable growling coming from within. Immediately paling, Naruto wished one thought. 'Kami, no! I didn't actually want to come in contact with it!' Knowing that he would eventually have to encounter it if he wanted to leave, Naruto crossed the invisible threshold he himself had created.

Eyes almost popping out of his hand, and nearly urinating himself, Naruto came face to face with the most dangerous beast in all of the continent, the Kyuubi no Youko. It's gigantic orange frame prepared to pounce, its eyes peering directly into Naruto's own. With a giant roar, it swung forward, and could Naruto have urinated right than and there, he would have. Instantly, giant metallic bars erupted forth, restraining the best, with a single piece of paper pasted onto the exact center.

"**HUMAN**." Kyuubi's growl echoed throughout his entire subconscious, and immediately knew that no Genjutsu could have that much reality, that much force and power behind it. It proved a formidable picture, nine tails swishing before it, and fur on end, Naruto barely measured a fraction of its claw.

"Ky—u-" Naruto choked out, fear in his eyes. The pure, unmitigated power coming from the beast halted him in his tracks, halting him from thinking, moving, escaping, it was the ultimate prey capture tool. The gigantic chakra being quelled its power, intent on communicating with its holder, for as long as it was amused.

"**FOOLISH HUMAN**. **I HAVE BROUGHT YOU TO MY ACCURSED DOMAIN!**" It's speech shook the entirety of wherever they are, and even without the massive amount of power leaking out, Naruto was frightened. How had his father, Konoha's shinobi, gone against a being so powerful, so great?

"**SPEAK, FOOLISH HUMAN!**" It's voice echoed, seemingly angered more. Naruto knew he had to get past his frozen state, before it did something more drastic.

"Kyuu-bi, wha-t powers have you gi-ven me?" Naruto stuttered out, forcing his vocals to move past the frightening figure before him. It clashed against the bars again, letting out an extraordinary roar, causing Naruto to squint and take a few steps backwards.

"**I HAVE GIVEN YOU NO POWER! IT WAS STOLEN FROM ME!**" It roared, clearly showing anger at his question. The ground shook with the beasts anger, forcing Naruto to grip the wall from the gigantic tremors.

"Stolen?" Naruto's question permeated the air, as the Kyuubi seemingly braced against the bars, its growling form trying to force them to shatter under the pressure. Naruto realized one thing, he had been brought here by the Kyuubi, he had no idea of how to leave or come, it all depended on the gigantic beast before him, up to it and it's amusement.

"**I DO NOT WISH TO BE HERE, HUMAN! FREE ME!**" Naruto willed himself to not complete its request, knowing that his father and countless shinobi had given their lives to make sure of it's capture. Knowing its reason, Naruto slowly continued forward on the proverbial questioning, knowing that a wrong question would piss it off even further.

"Why can't you just get me killed? You seemed to have taken me here, why not control my body, and get me killed?" Naruto questioned, leaving the monstrous fox to let out a large, growling laugh.

"**I AM NOT FOOLISH HUMAN! IN MY WEAKENED STATE AFTER ESCAPING THE SEAL, I WOULD EASILY BE UNDER HIS INFLUENCE!**"(4) It's growls permeated the air, showing that the Kyuubi was indeed wary, if not afraid of a human. Who, other than the Shodaime, had the ability to lord over the Kyuubi?

"Who -" Naruto was cut off, as a giant trembling shot him into fear again, as the Kyuubi's power enveloped him, forcing him into submission.

"**YOU SHALL NOT YET ENGAGE HIM IN COMBAT!**" It yelled, before Naruto was sent forcefully away from his subconscious, back into reality. Shivering, Naruto realized that he had not pissed himself, and that he had an headache of astronomical proportions. One word seemed to echo within Naruto's mind, the one simple word would plague Naruto for the rest of the day.

"Yet?"

**The Next Day...**

_Early Morning, At the Academy, First Class_

"Settle down!"Iruka yelled out, as his students immediately stilled. Out of a decently sized class, only nine were fit to actually be sent on to the next level, to actually begin learning about distinct shinobi careers. They were all so different, yet the same, striving to be great shinobi.

A person, who he had previously shown prejudice towards, was now the oddest academy student Iruka had ever seen. Naruto, ever since the first time where Iruka had disparagingly sent him off, had never asked for help since. After the initial demonstration, Naruto would stick with the class, but never 'lower' himself to ask for help, from either his teachers or his classmates. He apparently need encouragement either, and stuck to himself. Of course he spoke to his classmates, but it was within limits that the boy had previously set.

Iruka had personally spoken to the Hokage about the boys odd behavior, linking him perhaps to emotional trauma. The Sandaime had replied, and that had Iruka change his thoughts towards the boy. "He has had a much harsher childhood than any of us, Iruka. We all deal with our problems differently, and he looked within himself after being rejected from the outside solutions."

Iruka had tried reconciling with the boy, he really had. The boy was akin to an adult at that age, sure he was eight, but he had the mind of a shinobi, one of the few that had the Hokage not abolished early graduation, Naruto was sure to have already gone on and been Chuunin, perhaps Jounin. He supposed that the abolishing idea was a good thing, after the whole Itachi debacle.

ANBU Commander at 13, and he had slain his entire clan, leaving a traumatized Sasuke alone, before fleeing the village. Sarutobi had immediately acted, placing the boy within a loving civilian family, known sympathizers with the shinobi cause. Sasuke had been placed through hours of emotional and mental therapy, before he was finally fit to be considered eligible to be put back into the academy. The boy had been dead set on revenge, before being straightened out by the Hokage himself, forcing him to either change his road, or be sent back into emotional and mental therapy. Sasuke had soon sung a different tune, being just as the Hokage wished.

Still, even without the early graduation, Naruto was easily lording over his peers in just about every category. Intelligence, he obtained a perfect on every test without even paying attention in class, Iruka had caught him balancing leaves on his upside down palms. Endurance training, Naruto still continued to rule over the rest, his unending stamina stomping on them. Team exercises, Naruto worked effortlessly, surprising the scarred Chuunin.

The other non-promising Genin would either be retried, kicked out, or if applicable, sent to another academy within Hi no Kuni.(5) Konoha had the strictest regiment in producing Genin, but most that graduated from the academy had shown to be powerful, judging by the statistics. Sannin, all of the clan-heads, the Yondaime, Hatake Kakashi, Itachi Uchiha, etc. These nine, however would stay with Iruka until they graduated at the age of twelve.

Sighing, Iruka knew he would have to still continue teaching the ones that would not go further. He had designed his class curriculum to go as such that they would learn the maximum amount possible, while causing the least amount of stress possible. To wake them up, he always went for a quick physical class, jogging and tree-climbing, manually.

"Alright! Lets head out!" He yelled, the sliding and screeching of chairs met his ears, as the hustle and bustle of the class quickly arose to higher levels. Iruka watched as Mizuki, his close-friend and colleague, took the front, leaving Iruka watching their backs.

"We have an hour outside, before coming in." Mizuki informed, leading the class effortlessly, the physical portion was their favorite part, at least to the ones that could handle it.

"Can we play -" One of them questioned, before being silenced with a wave of the blue-haired man's arm.

"You know the rules, you guys only get to play once a week. You guys are training to be shinobi and kunoichi!" His voice lorded over them, as some of the smaller and inept ones grew downcast looks, they had seen their marks and evidently knew that they wouldn't be able to pass this year, unless they improved at a staggering rate.

Slamming open the door, Mizuki quickly placed a stopper so it wouldn't close on any faces, and began to move at a slow jog, allowing the children to follow. "We have a full sixty minutes today!" A chorus of groans washed into his ears as both sensei grinned. The only one of the assured that had groaned was the young boy Shikamaru, already known for his penchant in wanting to do nothing.

After taking them a lap, Mizuki and Iruka stopped to watch and judge their pupils. The first fraction of the class was always the same. Every kid would find their pace, either along with their friends or alone, and continue on as such. After a small period of time, the weaker students would stop jogging, unable to continue until it was the core nine left, with Naruto staying in the best shape by the end. Now that they were near the end of the year, it was quite obvious to everyone who would be moving on. Everyone of the clan kids would be going on, as well as Naruto, and a clan less girl named Sakura.

They had excelled at everything they were required of, effectively allowing them to continue on. The Sandaime's second reign had been the first time that Konoha had seen several infrastructural changes, all of which had originally been set by the Nidaime. ANBU's requirements had been upped, and their separate sections now had their own requirements. The academy had been changed by a large amount, going from allowing a child to join at any age, to graduating once passing the skills test, which consisted of a few ninjutsu, as well as some physical testing. Now, children were only allowed to join at the age of eight or older, and would have to graduate after four or so years.

Naruto sighed as he heard as comments about exhaustion rose from his classmates, his ire growing. He wasn't one to voice his displeasure, not after the past few years, but this was ridiculous. 'They wish to be shinobi, yet they put no effort into it. It was disgraceful to all the previous Hokage, that these... people, tried to think being shinobi and kunoichi as a 'fun' thing to do, not an occupation in the deadliest trade in the world. They sacrificed themselves, just for these people to mock what they were!'

Iruka watched, knowing what the blonde was thinking. Naruto's eyes always darkened in annoyance, and his demeanor would shift to a more stoic one. If Iruka's assumption was right, then he knew that Naruto was incredibly distraught over the fact that he couldn't graduate earlier. The Hokage had completely ruled it out, and apprenticeships were restricted to those that have graduated. The boy was able to work on a team, but Iruka had seen him shirk off his classmates when asked for help.

In the peaceful mind during the slow jog, Naruto's thoughts assembled his own view point and what the Hokage actually wanted, after finally thinking for a night, even more so because of his encounter with the tailed beast within him. He knew that shinobi were grown to be wielded by their leader or commander. 'Hokage-sama's colleague wishes to control me, abuse me and what is inside for their own devices, and would be going against father's wishes. For himself, he wants me to respect father's wishes and grow up as an honorary Konoha-nin, however, that is against MY wishes. I want to be even stronger than father, than anyone else, and 'these' ways won't work forever.'

He wouldn't go missing-nin, that would be akin to suicide. Being the Kyuubi's container meant he was worth a lot, possibly even more than the Hokage. Who knew how many different parties would be after him than, and eventually they would find and capture or kill him. He would just have to train even further on his own time, while still progressing in the academy. After all, wasn't the middle name of any shinobi be 'deceive'? It was illegal for him to spy on older ninja, so he would just have to make do for the first bit by continuing his spying on the older classes, before branching off on his own. He would gain power, and with that power, he would earn respect.

**At the Hokage Tower...**

"Sarutobi, why must you persist on doing this!" Danzou Shimura, one of the Hokage's personal advisers said. He wasn't really an adviser, but Sarutobi still took to his council when it mattered.

"He has made his choice, and I will not go against the Yondaime's wishes as easy as that, Danzou. The man sacrificed himself and his only child to create a power that can possibly dwarf his own! I will not allow his legacy to be brainwashed or used! He will honor and be a shinobi of Konoha on his own free will!" Sarutobi argued back, as the man before him sighed. Seating himself, Danzou lifted his hand and tossed the folder's contents onto Sarutobi's desk. Most of which, the aged monkey-summoner had already seen.

"His IQ is greater than both his father's and Itachi's! His power would be amazing under my tutelage, Sarutobi. Your peace-loving ways won't work with him! He wants to be powerful, and you constricting him will only send him away. He honors you because of your position, and he wishes to honor his fathers wishes. He has no other reason to halt his growth in such a manner!" The scarred man argued back, wishing diligently that the Hokage would see his views.

"I do not appreciate you spying on my future shinobi, Danzou." Sarutobi murmured, sifting through the various papers on his desk. Naruto's marks, tests, everything the boy had done since entering the academy was here, before him.

"That is neither here nor there Sarutobi, and you know it! The boy, he can be greater than ever if you just let me apprentice him!" Danzou knew the boy was extremely strong-willed, and he wouldn't be capable of being brainwashed or changed. However, he could slowly cajole trust from the boy, and show him power, and out of respect he would continue to obey his wishes.

"The boy will turn out to be just as Itachi if we do so. That would make this whole exercise, except that he wouldn't simply slaughter a clan, he would slaughter the entire population. Itachi was a loose cannon, and so is this boy. We have to let him continue on my wishes, and allow him to grow with people his own age. With those attachments, he will be more powerful than you could ever make him!" The two men stared at each other, both essentially wanting the same goal from the boy, but completely opposite paths.

"This isn't finished, Sarutobi." Danzou said, as he maneuvered his way out of the office. There were other ways to help the boy be a powerful ally for Konoha, ones that would have to be acted through complete and utter secrecy. Training the boy using one of his soldiers was completely out of the question, Sarutobi would detain him for attempting to destroy the 'mental health' of the boy. He would just have to work through what the boy was often caught doing, reading. After all, sneaking a slip of paper wasn't that difficult, and if it had instructions to increase the boys power, it could mean any shinobi could be doing it.

Sarutobi had gotten to the boy while he wasn't there to present the argument, and attempting to do so would just look bad upon himself. He just had to hope that the boy was willing to take his apprenticeship when he graduated, there was nothing the peace-loving man could do then. If Danzou was anything, he was cunning and patient, and he would abuse those two qualities to the best of his ability.

Sarutobi sighed as he watched his ally in arms but enemy in political terms leave his office. Danzou would be attempting this soon, and in the wait time for that he would be extremely shrewd, trying to draw attention away from his true plans regarding the boy. Sarutobi knew that if the boy had graduated, he would have been far more powerful than Itachi. A brain much more suited to combat, as well as something that was far more powerful than the Sharingan, the boy would be an unparallelled weapon, but that weapon could easily turn on its owner.

"These will be a long four years because of you, Minato."

**Authors Note:**

_This will be quite long, so feel free to skip past the footnotes._

Why would Sarutobi send an ANBU just to obtain Naruto's clothing for him?

A: Most Genin would be easily impressionable, and could buy Naruto any kind of horrible thing. However, if an ANBU did it they obviously know what is suitable. It's not like it matters to Sarutobi if one of them are off fetching a piece of clothing in the period of ten minutes.

Colleague?

A: Danzou. I am trying to portray Danzou in a different light than most bash fics. To me, he has his own viewpoints and thinks that they are right, and is ambitious enough to do certain things for them. In the end he has the same goal as any of the other Hokage, to make sure Konoha stays powerful and prosperous.

Naruto being on his own since he was four?

A: Evidently, if Kakashi and Itachi can graduate at an earlier age than some parts of their brain develop faster than say, the part that makes you want to reproduce. Therefor, it wouldn't be that difficult to picture a four year-old living alone if a four year-old Itachi was able to view war and understand what it meant.

How so?

A: I completely changed one aspect of being a Jinchuuriki, instead of them dying and so does the Bijuu, should the Jinchuuriki die the Bijuu is released. Therefor, there are two ways of escape for the Kyuubi. The way he wants, which will grant him full power is by Naruto ripping off the seal and allowing the Kyuubi to shred his body apart through the torrents of youki that would escape, effectively killing and allowing the Kyuubi to return. The second way is by forcing Naruto to continue in a state of anger, but just by killing the boy through excessive amounts of youki. Should the boy die, the Kyuubi will have to struggle in the moments as Naruto died to escape the seal, costing him a lot of power that would need to be regenerated over time. However, as he escaped, obviously Madara would find out and thus confront and capture the Kyuubi.

Ninja Trained in Hi no Kuni?

A: In my story, there are two types of shinobi/kunoichi. For every Hidden Village, there are ninja trained in there, such as Kakashi/Itachi/Yondaime/Jiraiya etc. However, there are nameless ninja that are generally just Chuunin, which are trained by most cities within Hi no Kuni, either for defense or simply for their own personal interest. The ones trained within the village are generally more powerful, but there are those like Chiriku or any of the other guards of the Daimyo, other than Asuma.

Alright, lets get to thick of things. In this next section things will be sporadic, so try to just go along with it.

I will still of course be using some aspects of Kishi's version of the manga/Narutoverse, however I will be changing several around to make it seem more realistic and less comedic, as well as more interesting.

THIS WILL NOT BE YAOI. THIS WILL NOT BE A HAREM. If it will be anything, Naruto will probably do the 'dating' thing where he just tries multiple girls. I have yet to come up with a pairing.

Kyuubi's sentience – I know Kyuubi is a sentient being, however I don't see it being as talkative as some fics depict.

Naruto is OP! - Of course hes OP. As an inept Genin with the Kyuubi, he was able to nearly beat Sasuke in his full form. In this, he simply has a brain that's more akin to Itachi's or Sasori's, incredibly smart and powerful in combat. There are always counters in the shinobi world.

Naruto's thoughts – He likes living his own life after his childhood. He doesn't look for help nor ask for encouragement. He'd rather stuff it in everyone's face that he is better. Hes not emotionless, just more calm and thoughtful, and not willing to show them as easily.

My personal gripes with the manga/anime: I have a lot of bones to pick with the manga, and probably the largest one was Sasori, Itachi, and Orochimaru's death. Three bad asses, and they are killed in the stupidest ways possible. Pein was also a pretty stupid death, even after watching all that emotional shit. He puts Akatsuki to be some super cool group, and then completely shits on all of them. Sure the whole war aspect is cool, but I think its a bit washed up considering he could have made it far more epic.

Akatsuki Bad Assness – My Akatsuki will be totally bad ass. Ain't no one dying for stupid reasons. These are basically the worst of the worst in the shinobi world, and they get killed for and by the stupidest reasons ever.

Character Bashing: I will hopefully not do such a thing, and if I do it, I wouldn't do it intentionally. I won't make any ninjas weak in this, all will have their advantages. I just hate how Orochimaru, and Deidara were killed by Sasuke. I don't purposely hate Sasuke, I just think Kishi is overpowering the living shit outta him, just so he can have some epic battle with Naruto or potentially Madara.

Length: This will just be one long fic, ranging above 400k words easily.

**Question of the Chapter**

_How bad ass should Itachi be?Should he be moral as the manga, or incredibly psychotic, willing to actually do as such for power? Or should I just surprise my readers?_

Read, Review, PM. I accept all suggestions and criticism.


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